NADA revokes India goalkeeper Paul’s provisional suspension

New Delhi: Veteran India goalkeeper Subrata Paul on Wednesday heaved a sigh of relief after National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) revoked his provisional suspension.

The NADA termed it as “unintentional” and warned All India Football Association (AIFF) to take absolute precaution for prohibited substances.

“In this case, the anti-doping rule violation involves a specified substance and the athlete was able to prove that the dope violation was not intentional. Under article 10.5.1.1 of the NADA code wherein a provision for no significant fault or negligence is available, Subrata Paul has been reprimanded for anti doping rule violation although no period of ineligibility has been imposed upon him. His suspension stands revoked with immediate effect,” the NADA said in a release on Wednesday.

“The Anti Doping Disciplinary Panel has also warned the All India Football Federation for negligence as it has failed to provide guidelines to be followed by team doctor appointed by them. It is a strict liability of the federation to take absolute precaution for prohibited substances in any form either in medicines or dietary/nutritional supplements,” it added

The disciplinary panel also asked for the action against the team doctor.

The doctor during his appearance before the panel had admitted in writing that he failed to take due care in prescribing the medicine to the athlete which led to his ingestion of prohibited substance. The federation has been directed to take necessary action against the team doctor,” the release stated.

Earlier, former Indian skipper Paul’s sample, tested by NADA, had traces of terbutaline. Although the veteran goalkeeper firmly denied taking a banned substance after AIFF confirmed that it has received a report of him failing a dope test.

Terbutaline is a bronchodilator and is taken when people have trouble breathing or a medical condition such as asthma.